Today was Greg's birthday. He is 18 years old, an adult. He really liked that part. He wanted to know if he could buy dry ice....just cuz. Can I tell you that I have crazy boys! He wanted steaks for his birthday dinner. He cooked the steaks to perfection! Of course we had more than the steaks but this was his focus :) Barrett, Brandon and Seth joined us. It was fun to have them all home during the week.

We had brownies and Chocolate Malted Krunch, a Thrify's brand flavor, Greg's favorite.

I guess he gets his wish. I hope it was a good one.

American River Institute 40th Anniversary

So way back when, in 1980, Owen was the President of the ARC Institute. This was before Student Wards so everything happened at the Institute. He loved his time there! So all four of us went to the celebration. It was very fun and touching to see the directors from the 1960's to today.

David Whitmer was the director when Owen first went to ARC and Dean Thompson was the advisor to the council. They had wonderful stories to tell. Bro. Thompson told the story of when a White Supremest Group started on campus and targeted the African Americans on campus. The LDSSA wrote up a resolution to be adopted on campus that there can be no group and/or charter that targeted, discriminated or had any hate language of another group. Owen was the person who wrote the resolution and read it to the Student Council on campus that was adopted. Barrett and Gregory were very impressed that their father would do that. I think the boys were really surprised with their dad....generally they are really surprised that we were ever under the age of 40!

Bro. Mike Howell, who is the current Director of the Institute, put together a nice program. All the directors spoke about how they saw the Savior touch the lives of students at the Institute. Then they had students from each decade bear their testimonies. We saw Dean Thompson as we entered the building and he jokingly told Owen that he was on the program to speak. They got a good laugh out of it, but once Bro. Howell realized that he was from the 80's he asked him to speak. Prior to this he had found someone to speak from every other decade but could not located an 80's person. Worked out. He shared a nice testimony of the Change of Heart he saw happen over and over at the Institute. Discovering or building testimonies. It was really a nice evening.

Here is Owen with Bro. David Whitmer. After Owen and I were married and moved down here. Bro. Whitmer was the director of the Sac State Institute. He gave us wise counsel.

Owen with Bro. Dean Thompson. He is enthusiastic. Always has been. Owen worked cleaning the ARC Institute when we returned to Sacramento while Owen was finishing as Sac State. That is were I got to know him. Presently Owen is a temple patron and Bro. Thompson is a worker during the scheduled time Owen goes, so they see each other every week. Cool.

Who I Am

I decided a while back that I would let myself off the hook from journaling and scrapbooking by doing this blog. I am going to print my blog annually....instant journal/scrapbook. Then I realized I wasn't putting anything in this blog that stated who I am and why I am who I am. I know there are glimpses of me: my bucket list, some songs I like, the books I've read. But I want to share who I am.

My friend told me the other day that I must be a strong spirit because I have been given so much to deal with in my life. I don't know if that is true, but I do know that I have been able to handle what I have been given because I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me. Sometimes I have felt cradled in His hands as I have gone through some of my low points. I am grateful for everything that I have been given. I must admit that hasn't always been the case.


Here are some references that have helped me.

Doctrine and Covenants 6: 36 - Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Alma 32: 21 - And now as I said concerning faith—a faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

I choose to have hope. Cynics are never at peace.

Living the gospel of Jesus Christ has given me peace.

I've seen enough death to have perspective on life....what you take with you is in your heart and in your mind - Who you loved and who has loved you, and what you learned. I spend most of my life now, trying not to screw this part up because I have spent most of my life so far screwing this part up.

Attitude changes everything...I love life though nothing really in my life has changed except my attitude.

Proverbs 3:5 -6 : Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Tacy's going to Indonesia

So Carrie asked if I could go over and help with the picture taking to record the event of Tacy opening her mission call. I was charged with videoing while Carrie took pictures. She was afraid she would screech into the microphone when Tacy read where she was going out loud. Indonesia, Jakarta Mission. I was shocked and excited and promptly covered my mouth that was hanging wide open ready to screech myself! We are all so very excited for her. She will be warm, which is the perfect place for her with her leg and still getting to have the adventure of a lifetime. Whooo Hoooo!

Since food is my favorite part of any adventure, I looked up the food. Yummy!

Indonesian cuisine reflects the vast variety of people that live on the 6,000 populated islands that make up Indonesia. There is probably not a single "Indonesian" cuisine, but rather, a diversity of regional cuisines influenced by local Indonesian culture and foreign influences.
Throughout its history, Indonesia has been involved in trade due to its location and natural resources. Indonesia’s indigenous techniques and ingredients, at least in the Malay World parts, are influenced by India, the Middle East, China and finally Europe. Spanish and Portuguese traders brought New World produce even before the Dutch came to colonize most of Indonesia. The Indonesian island of Maluku, which is famed as "the Spice Island," also contributed to the introduction of native spices to Indonesian and global cuisine. The cuisine of Eastern Indonesia is similar to Polynesian and Melanesian cuisine.
Sumatran cuisine, for example, often shows its Middle Eastern and Indian influence, featuring curried meat and vegetables, while Javanese cuisine is rather more indigenously developed. Elements of Indonesian Chinese cuisine can be seen in Indonesian cuisine: items such as bakmi (noodles), bakso (meat balls) and lumpia have been completely assimilated.
The most popular dishes that originated in Indonesia are now common across most of Asia. Popular Indonesian dishes such as satay, beef rendang, and sambals are also favored in Malaysia and Singapore. Soy-based dishes, such as variations of tofu (tahu) and tempe, are also very popular. Indonesian meals are commonly eaten with the combination of a spoon in the right hand and fork in the left hand, although in many parts of the country (such as West Java and West Sumatra) it is also common to eat with one's hands. In restaurants or households that commonly uses bare hands to eat, like in traditional Sundanese or Minangkabau restaurants, they usually served kobokan, a bowl of tap water with a slice of lime in it to gave fresh scent. This bowl of water with lime in it should not to be consummed, its used to wash one's hand before and after eating with bare hand.

Sounds.....interesting.

A Tribute to a Wonderful Man

Written by his girls:

Dirk Richard Payne, 44, was born Nov. 1, 1964, in Provo, Utah, and passed away March 11, 2009, in Placerville, California. Dirk was known as a strong, quiet, funny, driven, eloquent, decent, gentle, generous, thoughtful, hard-working, optimistic, adventurous, and loving family man. He was a fantastic father and frequently treated his five daughters and wife to trips to Disney World, Florida, Alaska, Utah, and classic rock concerts (to name a few). He lived his life in a grand and meaningful manner. An ambitious and driven man, he served an LDS mission to Louisiana at the age of nineteen, attended Porterville Junior College, Brigham Young University, the University of California San Francisco, and the University of California Los Angeles. He eventually became a successful oral surgeon and a great employer, which he could not have become without the hard work and devotion from his wife, who supported him through dental school. Anyone will tell you that he was informed and intelligent and was an expert on any current or world event. Dirk was a lover of classic rock, especially the band Boston. Young at heart, he enjoyed roller coasters, Lucky Charms cereal, Disneyland, Lord of the Rings and late night movies. He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and devoted hours of service (both known and unknown) to fellow church members, especially the youth. He enjoyed 22 years of marriage with the love of his life, soulmate, and best friend, his wife Brenda. An honest man of great character, he never wavered from his beliefs and served as a quiet example and influence to all who knew him.Dirk had a quick, witty, and sarcastic sense of humor and was known for his straight-forward manner. He was a great mimic and judge of character and amused his family with nicknames for people and places. He lived his life for his family, and was quick to say that his daughters and wife were his best friends. He loved sports and would often treat his wife and daughters to Sacramento Kings games. A tender-hearted animal lover, he would do anything for his pets. He loved working in the yard; many weekends were spent beautifying his backyard for his beloved family and many animals. His daughters were his pride and joy and when anyone would ask if he wanted sons he would reply with a quick “Nope.” He supported his daughters in all the goals they pursued and will pursue, and constantly let each one know that he loved and was proud of her. He was a rock to his family, giving wise and meaningful advice to many. He will be missed in the community, and lived a full and beautiful life that affected many people for the better. His wife, daughters, and family will miss him dearly, but look forward to being with him again. His wonderful example and the choices he made will inspire and direct his family and future generations.Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 19 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 3520 Cedar Ravine Road in Placerville.

El Dorado Stake's Got Talent

So I am on the Stake Activities Committee and we put on the El Dorado Stake's Got Talent Show. Michelle hand picked the talent rather than having it open because we have so much real talent in the Stake and we didn't want three hours of 12 year old lip syncers. I took the opportunity, knowing it would be the last chance Barrett would have to play publicly before his mission, to ask him to play.

It was really a good night of quite a variety of talent. Our family's personal favorite, Chris Martinez and Gerry Jonutz, true jazz talents. Chris was very complimentary to Barrett publicly to the audience before he started his own performance. Chris called Barrett his hero and stated that he had never heard Chopin played so well on a piano from the Primary room. Later Owen explained to me that Chris had told him how difficult it is to get that kind of response from the keys of such a piano and that it took a lot of effort from Barrett to make that happen.

We have two videos of most of his performance. The first one is the beginning, please take note of the tail flip as he sits down. Barrett was very proud of it. Then Owen moved position and finished videoing the performance. Barrett looked up on YouTube how people playing this piece bowed afterward. He, with a very serious face, took three short bowed and exited. He is such a goof ball. Gotta love him!

My mom, Stephanie and her mom came with Owen to watch. Greg was a lifesaver by helping me back stage. He was in charge of getting the mics to the right people at the right time. He also moved most of the props on and off unless he had to be in front doing the mics. He was great. Jeni commented on his helpfulness. She was very impressed.

I am sad

Sometimes life seems so surreal. Sometimes you get news that makes the world stop. Then you wish that the world would. It seems so unfair to watch the world go on around you, so uneffected by the devastation that you know is in the heart of those who have lost, for their world that has turned upsidedown, and in your heart for them. Can't the people running around having no knowledge of such a loss, living their typical days, just feel that the world is not right today, tomorrow? You look at them and want to say, "Stop, can't you feel it, stop and pay tribute to this man and his family."

Breakfast at the Beach

Sharon picked me up from the hotel and took me to breakfast on Seal Beach. It was great! We spent a wonderful day together doing everyday errands and enjoying being together, which we hardly can do living on opposite ends of the State. That evening, we had a lovely dinner with Eric, their daughter Laura and her beau, Clinton, and Eric's friend Eric. The following morning Sharon delivered me back to Carrie for the ride home. A wonderful end to a perfect vacation.

Day Three - I still love Disneyland!

Day Two - California Adventure

On my "L" letter of CALIFORNIA Adventure. I love these letters. Aren't they fun?

I think this is who, Safari Mickey, a very short Safari Mickey.

Disney gets all the details right. I loved their shows. Here is, of course, High School Musical 3. We also saw the Aladdin stage show, the set, costumes, effects, were all amazing.

I love "It's A Bug's Life" in California Adventure. The big stuff is so clever.

Chinese take out...how cute is that?

Tacy, Kim and I screaming our guts out on Tower of Terror.

The Happiest Place on Earth - Disneyland!

Wednesday morning......character breakfast.